The invention relates generally to facilitating the distribution of documents generated in digital form by multi-function devices which provides scanning, printing, and facsimile capability. Through the use of document distribution software, the digital information generated by these devices can be sent to multiple applications, repositories and media.
The FlowPort(trademark) software available from Xerox is an example of document distribution software designed to merge paper documents into E-mail, workflow, and document management systems. It performs the functions of distributing, retrieving and storing digital documents generated by scanning paper documents.
This type of software is set up to scan commands from a paper user interface which is generated by the user. The user simply fills out a form and directs, by an appropriate, menu driven user interface, the multifunction process controller to recognize the paper instructions. This requires that the image processor examine the image to determine if it is a paper user interface (paper UI) and, if it is, direct the image to a scan to file pathway where it is stored in an appropriate buffer. This requires a mid-stream processing change.
It is a purpose of this invention to provide a method of detecting the paper UI prior to the scanning and image processing steps and automatically provide the control processor with instructions. This eliminates the need to provide this functionality on the user interface. It will also reduce the need to interrupt the image processing and eliminate the scan buffer.
This invention is designed to simplify certain functions of a multi-function or similar printing machine. The machine in which the invention is used generates a digital image of an original document for printing, faxing, or copying. The document is scanned to create the digital image which is processed according to the desired function. The system of the machine includes a document distribution processor which is controlled by document distribution software. This software analyzes information on a document which contains instructions for the handling of the digital information relating to a particular job. The document is called a paper UI and is simply a paper form which is prepared by the user. The paper UI of this invention is constructed having marking in the nature of bar coding or other similar optically readable code. The bar code may be constructed as a series of lines along the border of the paper UI to accommodate the general range of document feeders. An optical sensor is placed in the path of the document feed to read the coded border of the paper UI and provide a signal to the control processor of the multifunction machine. The control processor would direct the digital information to a document distribution processor. Document distribution software would cause the distribution processor to analyze the information on the paper UI and to handle the digital document in accordance with such information. When the bar code is sensed, the cover page is treated by the processor as a paper UI and the machine will change mode to accommodate this function prior to scanning the document.